Apex Center looking to fill 500 jobs at Marlborough fair

WORCESTER BUSINESS JOURNAL – Marlborough’s annual job fair Oct. 26 will be the city’s largest yet, due to the soon-to-open Apex Center of New England retail and entertainment center on Route 20.

Apex Center, with 475,000 square feet of restaurants, offices, hotels and an entertainment facility, is looking to fill at least 500 jobs, according to the city’s Marlborough Economic Development Corp., which is organizing the fair. In total, employers are looking to fill about 1,000 jobs at the event.

Apex Center tenants will get their own designated room at the fair, which will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Courtyard by Marriott at 75 Felton St. Other companies are also looking to hire at the event, including GE Healthcare, Raytheon, IPG Photonics, Western Digital, IEP Technologies, MHQ and Wind River Environmental.

When the job fair was first held in 2012, about two dozen companies offered 100 jobs, Mayor Arthur Vigeant said. The number of companies has risen by 50 percent since, and the number of jobs has gone up tenfold.

MEDC said this spring Apex Center is projected to employ about 1,600 in all. The the $160-million, 43-acre development’s retail space was 95 percent leased by March, according to developer RA Ventures of Westford.

The first Apex Center tenants are scheduled to open this month, including a 110 Grill Oct. 17 and the Hyatt Place hotel Oct. 31. Fairfield Inn & Suites says it will open sometime in November. Friendly’s, Qdoba, Chick-fil-A, Hot Table, Evviva Cucina and Starbucks are among the restaurants slated to move in.

The sprawling entertainment complex, with laser tag, go-karts and other attractions, is looking for positions ranging from ride attendants and maintenance managers to cooks and bartenders.